The present invention relates to door structures. Particularly, the present invention relates to frame structures for storm doors and structures for supporting mortise locks within storm doors.
To be effective, the structural design of storm doors advantageously meets certain criteria. Storm doors are desirably of small depth to be relatively lightweight and easily installed in a variety of applications. Storm doors must have a close fit within doorframes if they are to successfully control passage of air and water therethrough. Storm doors must also be sufficiently strong to withstand substantial impact loads as various kinds of objects are moved near and through the doorframes, to withstand slamming of the door by users thereof, and to withstand strong winds. Storm doors must also remain operable overwide temperature ranges. In addition, storm doors must withstand the deteriorating effects of great variations in weather over long periods of time while retaining acceptable appearance characteristics.
To meet these criteria, a number of different kinds of materials have been used for storm doors. Thus, storm doors have been constructed of assembled wooden parts, aluminum parts, or vinyl parts, and often a combination of these materials. In addition, various other polymer-based materials have been used.
Storm door structures that meet these criteria are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,161,346 and 5,077,948, assigned by the assignee of the present application. These patents are herein incorporated by reference. The storm doors described in these patents included the use of wooden frame members enclosed by outer shell portions formed of a composite, polymer material. The frame comprises spaced-apart vertical frame members and horizontal cross members forming a rectangular structure.
Storm doors having a security dead bolt lock allow the homeowner to leave the typical interior primary, solid door open. This is advantageous since the storm door can be made substantially transparent, or can be a screen, which passes substantially more light or air, respectively, into the house, while maintaining a securely locked entry. Exemplary storm doors can include mortise locks.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,696,174 and 5,634,508 disclose storm doors provided with mortise lock assemblies each including a handle, which when tumed, releases a door latch to open the door, and a dead bolt lock, key-actuated from the outside, for further security. U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,508 illustrates a recessed structure for receiving the mortise lock within the frame of the storm door. The recessed structure is foamed in place within the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,174 discloses a metal lock box for receiving a mortise lock, the box being welded to other metal parts of the door.
The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a door assembly that allows for the installation of a mortise lock within the wooden frame member of the door. The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a prefabricated vertical frame member, having a space for the mortise lock, which is economically manufactured. The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing the prefabricated space within a frame door construction that will not weaken the wooden frame of the door to a significant extent.
The invention provides an improved frame door construction, such as for a storm door, that includes a rectangular frame or core, the frame including left and right vertical members, a head panel and a base panel. One of the left and right vertical members comprises upper and lower vertical stile pieces and a mortise box located between the upper and lower vertical stile pieces. The mortise box has an opening sized to receive a mortise lock therein.
The mortise box is preferably composed of molded plastic, such as PVC, although other materials of construction are encompassed by the invention. The upper and lower vertical stile pieces are composed of wood, preferably particleboard, although other materials of construction are encompassed by the invention.
Preferably, the mortise box and the upper vertical stile piece together comprise a first tongue-in-groove formation therebetween for securing the mortise box to the upper vertical stile piece. The mortise box and the lower vertical stile piece together comprise a second tongue-in-groove formation therebetween for securing the mortise box to the lower vertical stile piece. The tongue-in-groove connections can be strengthened by use of an adhesive applied between the mortise box and the respective vertical stile piece. The upper and lower vertical stile pieces and the mortise box advantageously have equal widths and depths.
An outside edge trim can be applied onto the door edge. A mortise lock is inserted into the opening of the mortise box with an edge plate overlying the outside edge trim and the opening of the mortise box. The outside edge trim conceals the edge plate of the mortise lock, when the door is closed to an external doorframe.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the respective other one of the vertical members also comprises upper and lower vertical stile pieces, and a second mortise box located between the upper and lower vertical stile pieces. The second mortise box has an opening sized to receive a mortise lock therein. The use of the second mortise box provides a flexibility of installation of the door for left or right side hinges. A cover plate can be provided for covering the opening into the hinge side mortise box that is not used to receive a mortise lock.
To complete the construction of the frame door, an inside skin or shell and an outside skin or shell can be laminated or otherwise attached to the frame. The inside and outside skins each provide a pane opening substantially in registry with a central pane opening of the frame. The skins are preferably composed of aluminum or vinyl.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the frame door includes a rectangular frame defining a pane opening. The frame includes right and left side upper and lower vertical stile pieces, right and left side mortise boxes, a horizontal head panel, and a horizontal base panel connected respectively between the upper vertical stile pieces and the lower vertical stile pieces to define the rectangular frame.
The mortise boxes are located between the upper and lower vertical stile pieces. The mortise boxes are sized and shaped to selectively receive a mortise lock therein. One of the left and right side mortise boxes is used to house a mortise lock, and the respective other mortise box is not used. The respective other mortise box has its opening covered by a plate.
The upper and lower vertical stile pieces include grooves extending in a widthwise direction. The mortise boxes each include an upper and a lower tongue, extending along the widthwise direction, and sized and shaped to fit tightly into a respective groove of the vertical stile pieces, to form a tongue-in-groove connection. Alternatively, one or more of the tongue-in-groove connections can be formed by a groove located on a mortise box and an engaging tongue located on an end of one of the upper or lower vertical stile pieces. The tongue-in groove connections can be strengthened by use of an adhesive between the mortise box and the respective vertical stile pieces.
By using the water-resistant material for a mortise box, water permeating through lock and a latch holes is prevented from contacting wood material. This helps to prevent wood deterioration. The width and depth of the mortise box being equal to the width and depth of the upper and lowervertical stile pieces, the mortise box forms top and bottom covers on the vertical stile pieces. The covers protect the top of the bottom vertical stile piece and the bottom of the top vertical stile piece from exposure to moisture.
The wall thickness of a molded mortise box can be more closely controlled than a machine notch in a wooden stile piece, which can be prone to deterioration or splitting. Thus, given that the thickness available for vertical support on opposite sides of the mortise lock is limited due to the desired small depth of the door, a molded mortise box ensures a more consistent and reliable frame strength in the mass production of doors.